1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a circuit breaker-contactor comprising more specifically one or two fixed contacts, a contact movable relative to the fixed contacts between a closed position and an open position, a means for displacing the movable contact into the closed position, and a means for displacing the movable contact into the open position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A circuit breaker-contactor of this type is known in particular from document EP-A-1 058322. The means for displacing the movable contact into the closed position is a piezoelectric actuator. Under the effect of a fault detected in the main circuit on which the circuit breaker-contactor is disposed, an electronic control unit acts on the piezoelectric actuator to trigger the opening of the contacts at a precise moment, for example at the moment when the amperage or the voltage in the main circuit passes through a point of zero amperage or voltage, called zero point.
In this circuit breaker-contactor, the piezoelectric actuator maintains the movable contact in the closed position for as long as the circuit breaker-contactor is closed. It has been noted that in order to obtain a rapid break when the contact pressure between the fixed contacts and the movable contact is high, a powerful piezoelectric actuator, i.e. one which is still relatively expensive at present, is necessary.
One of the aims of the invention is to devise a circuit breaker-contactor which remedies this disadvantage.